Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu DhabiGrowing up in Egypt, I saw hundreds of mosques on a daily basis – each with its own kind of beauty. But when I visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, I experienced architectural beauty on a whole new level. I was visiting my best friend and she decided to take me there, which to me initially seemed like a dull idea. ‘Another mosque?’ I thought to myself. So when I set my eyes on this majestic beauty I was definitely caught off guard. But what made this place so special was not the extravagance – although that was inevitably a huge factor – but this corner at the entrance where the water was so still and peaceful behind the detailed work of the arches. The mosque itself is magnificent, but it is the perfect balance of extravagance and tranquility in the design that made the place stick with me.

Boutiques, AmsterdamWhenever I visit a new country and maybe decide to do some shopping (which I, as a woman, am often prone to do), I always make it a point to keep an eye out for the little shops that you wouldn’t find in the city center flooded with tourists. And there is no place more perfect for those little hidden shops like the streets of Amsterdam. Unique fashion, efficient space and creatively memorable idiosyncrasies, like this sign hanging in one of the changing rooms!http://www.iamsterdam.com

Nordmetall Dance Room, BremenIt is inevitable that one gets caught up in the daily routines of student life: Class, library, sleep (and of course the occasional party). It is not necessarily a dull life, but it becomes a stressful routine. Sometimes you just can’t wait for a chance to escape to a new city and to new people. But I have realized I should make sure to find a small escape within the routine and I did: the Nordmetall dance room. There is nothing particularly special or outstanding about the room itself; it is an ordinary dance room with lots of empty space and a wall full of mirrors. But to me the room is where I go every night to catch up with my true love: Dance. Dance knows me like no other and has challenged me, pushed me, accepted me, and given me the space to be who I am. After long nights of wild twisting and turning, I go home feeling gorgeous. This is where I go to meet my secret, perfect lover. http://www.jacobs-university.de